Inside The Fire
by UNCHAINED BEAST
Summary: NME sends out its true trump card to conquer Pop Star, and it is revealed to be the very demon that destroyed the entire GSA in that final battle against Nightmare. Can Meta Knight and Kirby team up to take the dragoness Cynder down once and for all?
1. Cynder

Full Summery- Holy Nightmare Enterprises sends out its true trump card to conquer Pop Star and eradicate any hope the universe has to overthrow Nightmare himself. It is revealed to be the monster that wiped out Meta Knight's comrades so many years ago in the battle that ensured the tyrants reign. Can Kirby and Meta Knight team up to defeat the formidable dragoness Cynder? Or will she triumph in the name of her Master?

Disclaimer- I DO NOT OWN CYNDER, AS SHE IS A CHARACTER FROM THE LEGEND OF SPYRO SERIES (which I adore). I really did not feel like coming up with an OC, so I figured that she would be perfect for this story…

Chapter One- Cynder

"I've had just about enough of your failures with your weakling demon beasts! I want that Kirby to be eliminated one and for all!" Dedede yelled at the Salesman of HNM. He slammed a gloved fist on the armrest of his throne. Escargon face-palmed himself, but said nothing.

The Salesman gave Dedede a cold, greasy smile, "Could you hold on a moment? I'll be right back…" The screen that showed his face promptly turned completely blue with the words "Please Hold" written upon it.

"Ugh, I swear they send me weak demon beasts claiming that they are powerful on purpose!" Dedede growled, bashing Escargon on the head.

"Master," The Salesman glanced at Nightmare, whose eyes glowed red in the shadows, "Do you think the time has come…?"

Nightmare merely smirked, "Cynder…"

There was movement on the other side of the room, and a similar pair of eyes glowed as a panther-like black dragon emerged from the shadows. (A/N: IMPORTANT- GO TO AND LOOK UP CYNDER TO GET A DESCRIPTION!!! I CAN'T DO IT .)

"Yes, master…?" the beast hissed, rustling her torn wings

"Go forth…you know what to do…"

* * *

Dedede gave a cry of outrage as the screen on the wall fuzzed out and shut off.

"What in the name of-!"

The machine in the center of the throne-room suddenly sparked and came to life. Escargon cowered and shrank back near the king as bolts of lightning came from it.

"Are they sending a demon beast?! What is going on?!" Dedede demanded, eyes not leaving the center of the room. "I-I-I d-don't know, y-your M-majesty!!!" Escargon yelled back over the increasing noise. Smoke was now filling the room as the transporter's alarms started sounding, red "danger" lights flashing every few seconds. Meta Knight, who was lurking just outside the throne room, watched intently, '_It looks like his majesty has bitten off more than he can chew this time…_' he thought to himself, his hand on the hilt of Galaxia. The sword suddenly sent out a brief shockwave of energy, causing the Star Warrior to gasp and glance down briefly, "No…it can't be…!"

* * *

A terrible roar, followed by a massive explosion, shook the castle to its very core. The earthquake that resulted was felt by everyone in Pupu Village. Even the children, playing near Kirby's home, felt the earth shake under their feet, causing them to fall.

"W-whats going on sis?!?!" Bun yelled, clinging to Kirby for dear life. Fumu, who was under the tree writing as usual, yelled back, "I-I don't k-know!" she struggled to get up, using the tree as support. Tokkori, who was napping inside, was shaken from the bed onto the floor. Crying out in panic, he hid under the bed until the quake subsided.

Outside, dark clouds were starting to form above Dedede's castle, red lightning cracking and striking the ground. Several cappies screamed and headed for cover inside their homes: the children piled inside Kirby's house as a foul wind started to blow harshly. They clung together, shaking and scared; sensing something evil had made its way into their world.

* * *

'_No no no no no no NO!!!_' Meta Knight's panicked thoughts swirled uncontrollably as he watched a lithe black dragon materialize from the smoke and wreckage that was the transporter. Both Escargon and Dedede could only watch as she fanned the smoke away with her massive wings. She was huge, a full 50 feet from the tip of her narrow snout to the end of her bladed tail.

"W-who are y-you?!" Dedede demanded, trying to control his shaking body. Cynder merely ignored him at first with a flick of her tail, red glowing eyes surveying the room she was in while she stepped down from the remains of the transporter to pace the room. Meta Knight shrank back as she slowly walked past the doorway near his hiding spot. He was tempted to turn and run and not stop for anything, but both Parm and Memu were still in danger inside the castle: Dedede and Escargon he would have to leave to their fate. He slowly backed away, then took off down the corridor to find Sword and Blade.

It was then that Cynder answered Dedede, striking an impressive figure in the center of the room.

"I am Cynder, the demon who ended the war between my master and the Galaxy Soldier Army. It was I who slaughtered them all in the name of my master, the invincible Nightmare, eNeMeE of the universe and all who oppose him"

"So," Escargon managed to speak, "You're the one that killed all the Star Warriors all those years ago?"

Cynder stalked closer, lowering her fearsome head to look him in the eye a mere 10 feet away, "Yesssss little snail…there are none who are stronger then I…" Escargon felt his heart flutter in fear, and he looked up to see Dedede with a wicked smile on his greedy face.

"Then I guess you'll have no problem dealing with a certain pink puffball who resides in this very village then…" Dedede leaned forward slightly, clearly interested in Cynder's abilities. The black dragon smirked,

"Of course not…although there is one matter I do have to attend to first…"

"Oh and what's that?"

A sly gleam entered Cynder's evil gaze, and bared her formidable fangs in a cruel smile, "Overthrowing you, of course…"

"Huh?!" Dedede jumped off his throne, fists clenched in fury, "I've ruled this place for 300 years, you beast! Do you think that I, its illustrious ruler, is gonna give up the throne just like that to some demon-!?"

Dedede never got to finish his tirade: Cynder roared mightily at the top of her lungs, causing the floor to shake once again. Escargon grabbed Dedede's arm and pulled him out of the throne room as fast as he possibly could as dark energy poured out of Cynder's body in waves as she continued her ululation. Meanwhile, at Meta Knight's command, Sword and Blade had gotten Memu and Parm to safety, while the Star Warrior himself flew hard and fast to find Kirby in the village. The darkness from Cynder's arrival made the air heavy with evil, plunging the day into night, and making it hard to breathe and fly. Soon he found Kirby's house and sensed the children in there. He knocked on the door, and called loudly to make his voice heard over the howling wind,

"It's me, Meta Knight! Please open up!"

It wasn't long before Fumu opened the door a crack, then opening it wider once she saw it was indeed him. He entered, relieved to be out of the sudden cold that had struck the land. The three cappy children were huddled in the corner, with Bun and Kirby on the bed with Tokkori.

"You three," Meta Knight motioned to the three cappy children, "Your families must be worried, please see if you can make it home to them. Tokkori, go and make sure they don't get hurt."

The three looked scared, but complied and hurried out the door into the chilling cold, followed by the yellow woodpecker.

"What's happening, Sir Meta Knight?" Fumu asked, noting how uneasy and nervous Meta Knight was: his eyes were dim and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. It took him a long moment to respond,

"The very being that haunts my dreams and is the source of my fears has come…"

"Who is that?" Bun asked, clearly curious despite the gravity and seriousness of the situation. Meta Knight took a deep breath, dim eyes fogging over as he became lost in a sea of old memories…

FLASHBACK

_It had been the day of the final battle with the struggle against Nightmare, the feared eNeMeE of the universe that was the source of everyone's pain and sorrow. Meta Knight knew that today would decide the fate of everyone, and that he and his sword Galaxia could not afford to fail. He was the first on the front lines, surrounded by his friends and comrades who he knew depended on him, as he depended on them. The bloody battle had been going on for hours, but he and his men fought on nonetheless, no matter how fearsome or deadly the demons were becoming. Soon, much to the GSA's relief and elation, the waves of demon beasts had subsided. But that joy was short lived…_

_Thud_

_The stagnant air shivered from the strength of the concussion._

_Thud_

_Another dull blow made Meta Knight's teeth chatter, and he shifted Galaxia to a better grip to better face the dark force that was now overwhelming his senses._

_Thud_

_He and his comrades were forced to put their hands over their ears to protect them from the painful spikes of pressure._

_Thud_

_The blood soaked and battle stained grass bent under the sudden gust of icy wind._

_Thud_

_From below the edge of the cliff rose a huge black and red dragon, whose massive torn wings blocked out the fading sun as she beat them to stay airborne. She opened her narrow jaws to reveal fangs the size of Galaxia, and belted out a roar that made the ground crack and shake. The GSA had little hope and strength to face this new menace: they were tired from the endless hours of fighting the other demon beasts. Nonetheless they charged towards this new foe with unbound courage. Meta Knight attempted to shout orders to back down and retreat from this enemy, but his cries fell unheeded as Cynder slaughtered them all without remorse or effort, fresh blood soaking the already mire coated ground. The dying screams of his men was all he could hear, along with the evil laughter of the one who to the present day haunted Meta Knight's every thought._

END FLASHBACK

"Wow…" was the only word Fumu and Bun could manage. Even Kirby looked serious and somber due to Meta Knight's chilling tale. Meta Knight turned away, blinking away the tears that now threatened to spill over.

"Now…that monster is back…and she will kill us all…"

Fumu jumped off the bed, a defiant look in her emerald eyes, "So, you're saying that we are all basically doomed here? That we are supposed to lie down and accept our fate?!"

"What can we do, Lady Fumu?!" Meta Knight raised his voice in response, "The entire GSA was helpless facing that thing! HELPLESS!" He started to shake, "And all I could do…was watch them all be killed by that soulless monster…" He collapsed on one knee, causing Fumu to rush forward to his side.

"Sir Meta Knight!" Bun joined his sister, as did Kirby while chirping a concerned, "Poyo!"

Meta Knight looked up into the eyes of each of them, lingering on Fumu's the longest. Was he destined to watch the ones he cared about get killed yet again, with him being helpless to do naught but watch as their blood also soaked the ground? Fumu bit her lip, disturbed to see Meta Knight in this state of despair,

"Isn't there anything we can do, Sir Meta Knight… anything at all?"

Meta Knight looked down to the floor once again, and slowly got to his feet. He walked over to the window, only to see that the dark clouds had spread as far as the eye can see, '_So…her influence over the land is spreading fast…does she plan on holing herself up at Dedede's castle to let her life draining aura do all the work?_' He shifted his sharp gaze to the castle and with a sinking heart confirmed his hunch: a red and violet dome-like barrier had now completely encased the castle, which had also changed drastically in appearance. Its stonework now appeared to have changed into indigo crystal, and the structure was also 2x as tall as before with one thick tower rising higher than the others.

"So much has already happened in such a short span…" Meta Knight noted out loud, his grip tightening on Galaxia. There wouldn't be much time before the residents of Pupu village and eventually the rest of Pop Star would start to feel the foul effects of the black mist now starting to spread throughout the world. As if on cue, Bun started to cough heavily, sounding extremely sick.

"Bun?! BUN!!" Fumu went to her brother's side as he proceeded to cough violently, "Whats wrong?!"

"It's her…" Meta Knight hissed in anger, eyes glowing red, "Her aura will make everyone sicker and sicker until…" he was too angry to finish. Fumu gasped: Bun had suddenly developed a high fever! She helped her brother into the bed, who reached out weakly to hold Fumu's hand,

"Sis…I'll be ok…just make sure Sir (cough) Meta Knight and K-Kirby (cough cough) make mince-meat of that demon!" he said weakly, smiling faintly before closing his eyes and falling unconscious.

"The weak will be the first to feel the effects of this mist…" Meta Knight stated, disturbed, for Bun may have been a kid, but he was by no means weak. Fumu sniffled a bit, starting to really become frightened, "Will…he be…ok?" she looked at Meta Knight with tear filled eyes. He felt his heart clench at the sight of her sadness of her brother's plight.

"If she cannot be either removed from Pop Star or killed…then most likely not…" the words were spoken gently, but Fumu felt the truth of them hit her like a title wave. She leaped into Meta Knight's arms, causing his eyes to flash briefly orange in surprise before going back to normal. She sobbed with an abandon that scared Meta Knight to the core, more than the first time he laid eyes on the demon beast Cynder again centuries after that battle, no, _slaughter_… He held the weeping girl close, not caring if her tears soaked his cape. Soon, her crying subsided into sniffles, but still Meta Knight held onto her, lest she fall apart yet again. He wished nothing more than to say that everything would be ok…but even he himself wasn't sure of such an outcome. Kirby, who had been silent all this time, was now gazing out the window with a gleam in his eye he didn't have before. He turned to Meta Knight and motioned outside the window.

"You say you wish to fight?"

"Poyo!" Kirby nodded resolutely, hopping down from the window. He opened the door and ran outside into the darkness.

"Wait, Kirby!" Meta Knight cried out. Fumu backed away and wiped away a single tear that formed, "Please Sir Meta Knight, I know this Cynder may be strong, but with you and Kirby fighting together, nothing is impossible for the two of you!" She also ran outside to where Kirby was standing looking resolutely at the castle. Ignoring the suffocating air, she took a deep breath and cried out with all her might,

"WARP STAR!!!"

It wasn't long before the golden star came into view on the horizon, speeding as fast as a bullet towards them. Kirby hopped on as it flew past, his balance perfect as the star picked up speed to fly towards Cynder's stronghold. Meanwhile Meta Knight stood in the doorway, eyes orange in shock. Why was he, one of the strongest in the universe, afraid to charge into battle when a mere child was willing to put himself in mortal danger to save the world from an impossible evil? Kirby's resolution made something click within Meta Knight, a missing piece that had just now fallen into place. He was a Star Warrior, not a coward!

With a mighty battle cry, Meta Knight unfurled his wings and took off after Kirby, leaving his fears on the ground as well as a shocked Fumu. He vowed to himself that he, Meta Knight, Star Warrior of the GSA, would have his revenge Cynder, lest he die trying….


	2. Confrontation of Lifetime

Yay people like this story! :3

So as a reward I posted the second chappie extra early! ^_^ you guys rock!

Chapter 2- Confrontation of a Lifetime

"Kirby! Please slow down!" Meta Knight called out as he winged his way to Cynder's fortress, the former Castle Dedede. Kirby ignored his plea and zoomed ahead even faster than before towards the now crystallized stronghold that was protected by the dome-like barrier.

'_That barrier…is it going to even be possible to get past it?_' Meta Knight's eyes changed to a deep green in thought as he noted Kirby slowing down mere feet before the powerful shield. He quickly caught up and hovered next to the pink Star Warrior. The power of the imposing barrier made his skin crawl, but it had to have some sort of weak spot somewhere…

"Fly around it, and try to find some sort of crack or weakness we can exploit." Meta Knight commanded. Kirby nodded, and flew in the opposite direction, eyes searching for anything unusual in the barrier's otherwise smooth cerise and violet surface. Meta Knight beat his wings, struggling slightly in the suffocating air while his sharp eyes darted about searching for something, anything, that could be used to get past the seemingly impenetrable defense. A sudden gust blew him off course, causing a wingtip to graze the barrier. A powerful shock coursed through Meta Knight's body, causing him to cry out and drop several feet before forcing his now painfully numb wing to continue flapping.

'_There…has to…be a way…_' he thought, gritting his teeth as he forced his unruly wing to function. If there was no crack or something of that nature, then how could the foul black mist be escaping to Pupu village? Then as if on cue, he saw Kirby jumping up and down on the warp star, pointing to something in the barrier. Meta Knight swooped lower to the pink puffball's level, and saw what had grabbed his attention: a tiny crack in the barrier's otherwise smooth surface, leaking out of it was the deadly pestilence that had made Bun ill.

"Very good Kirby!" Meta Knight was pleased, despite the pain the barrier shocking him had caused. He drew his sword Galaxia, which glinted brightly even in the darkness, then taking a deep breath, stabbed the hole in which the mist was leaking out. Large bolts of red lightning crackled in protest from the hole, nearly shocking Kirby and Meta Knight, who only pushed Galaxia further into the crack, determined to break through.

BOOM!!!

The entire barrier briefly flashed white before dissipating with a huge explosion that once again shook Pop Star to the core. Once it was completely gone, Meta Knight and Kirby flew fast to the top utmost tower, which was 150 feet taller than the rest of the castle. They landed on the smooth azure crystal surface, which had a diameter of 30 feet and was slightly slippery, much like ice.

"She's skulking around close by…get ready Kirby…" Meta Knight didn't relax his guard for a second, even though the only sound was their own breathing and the slight breeze so high up in the sky. Kirby nodded, and slowly made his way to the center of the platform, while Meta Knight scanned the skies above them for any sign of their enemy: he knew that the dragoness would know that they were here now since he shattered the barrier protecting her stronghold. He shifted Galaxia to a better grip while casting his senses about in an attempt to seek out Cynder's energy signature, but her evil had already polluted the land to a degree that he sensed her everywhere around him. It was a disturbing, gut-wrenching feeling that made him feel sick to the core.

'_Don't tell me that this foul mist is starting to affect me now of all times…shit…_' he cursed, trying to clear his mind and ignore the sensation. By now, Kirby was near the center of the platform, blue eyes darting about suspiciously. Meta Knight also couldn't help the feeling that despite the silence up here, that they were still being watched…something just didn't feel right to him.

He found about a few seconds later why.

Meta Knight gasped as he felt the crystal platform shake under his feet. He looked at Kirby to see the Star Warrior looking downwards, clearly bewildered.

"RUN KIRBY!!!"

With a furious shriek, Cynder herself crashed through the crystal floor that made up the surface: poor Kirby was tossed upwards, mere inches from those fanged jaws that bit and snapped. The warp star zoomed by and caught the pink puffball just in time and flew away. She snarled in anger at the loss of her quarry, hovering in place as the shattered floor rebuilt itself. Meta Knight swallowed hard, and took a step back. For a second he questioned his sanity and why he came here to greet the patron and master of death herself, but then the tear stained face of Fumu rose in his mind as she cried out for the warp star, and he hardened his resolute. He took two steps forward as Cynder landed on the repaired platform, red glowing eyes flashing briefly as she recognized him. He refused to look away from her burning gaze, even as those eyes burned into his very soul. He didn't even notice the warp star coming close to let Kirby off to stand near him as an equal on the battlefield.

"My my…" Cynder hissed softly, bladed tail writhing, "Such courage you show, _Sir_ Meta Knight, coming right here to my new stronghold even though I've had hardly any time to settle down! Where was that courage all those years ago while you watched your own comrades being slaughtered by my own tooth and claw?"

Meta Knight growled, and his grip on Galaxia tightened, but he refused to respond to her jibes to make him lose control. She laughed, throwing her horned head back in mirth, as if she could read his very thoughts and sense the emotions coursing through his body.

"You didn't have to bother spending the time and effort breaking through my castle's barrier just to find me, you know…I would have come and hunted you down soon enough anyway!"

"Why, so that your foul black mist could choke the life out of everyone first?!" Meta Knight demanded, eyes flashing red as he shook in anger. Kirby got into a battle ready stance, not taking his eyes off the slender ebony and cerise dragoness, even as she causally paced from side to side, movements smooth, lithe, and graceful, such as a panther on the hunt. She chuckled, amused by his reaction.

"Why so much anger, _Sir_ Meta Knight? It's not _my_ fault your comrades were pathetic weaklings," Cynder sneered, "they should be honored to have died by my hand…"

Meta Knight continued to shake, but he could not let her words get to him. He had to keep a clear head if they were to have a chance against this menace. However, this stalemate was starting to make him grow wearier by the second, were it even possible. Cynder's relaxed pose disturbed him to a great degree; she was goading him with taunts and leaving herself wide open to attack, and it was starting to get too tempting to resist…

Cynder shook her elegant head, tsk tsking all the while; "I'm disappointed in the both of you…" she stopped pacing and sat on her haunches, staring both Kirby and Meta Knight down. Her tone lacked the mocking quality it had before, suggesting now was the time she meant business.

"You both rudely arrive here, taking care to shatter my precious barrier, and challenge me at my own home, new as it is. Perhaps you need a little nudge…" Her eyes flashed a brighter red

At her words, a large glass orb filled with more black mist hovered from the space behind Cynder and rested right in front of her. Inside it was Fumu.

"FUMU!!!" Meta Knight cried out, nearly dropping Galaxia in panic. Cynder laughed, and placed a taloned paw on top of the orb. Fumu was trying to break free from her prison by banging her fists on the inside, but she could have sat and stared at it for all the good it was doing.

"Her prison is filled with a special kind of my poisonous mist, so unless you can manage to kill me in time…" Cynder trailed off, and as if on cue, Fumu collapsed inside the orb, breathing labored and sweating heavily. At the sight of her suffering, Meta Knight's eyes glowed red, bright as Cynder's own: he had finally….SNAPPED!

With a mighty battle cry, he spread his wings and charged, followed closely by Kirby himself despite his lack of a weapon. He attempted to inhale Cynder, but she merely folded her wings tight to her body and gripped the crystal with her claws. Meta Knight leaped and brought Galaxia down in a powerful down stroke, only to be blocked by her bladed tail. She shoved him back with a snarl, and he was forced to do a flip in midair to regain his balance and land on his feet. The smooth surface made Meta Knight slip slightly on landing, causing him to curse. Within a second, Cynder was in front of him, rearing up on her hind legs, jaws agape. He barely rolled out of the way of the blast of fire that spewed from her gullet, only to be met by her tail. The blow made him cry out in pain as he was hurtled through the air at an incredible velocity. Cynder roared, and leaped after him, huge wings spanning a full 100 feet fully spread. Kirby, thinking fast, latched onto her tail and clung to dear life.

Meta Knight quickly recovered from Cynder's strike as beat his wings to regain control of his body, only to see the dragoness flying fast to pursue him. She charged, fangs glinted dangerously as Kirby did his best to make his way further up her back. Meta Knight hovered, waiting until she was mere feet away before dodging to the side at the last second. As she rushed past, Meta Knight slashed with Galaxia, ripping open her side.

She screamed in agony, ruby blood pouring from the wound and staining Galaxia. She flapped her wings extra hard to save herself from falling.

"You…shall…PAY!!!" she bellowed the last word, aura crackling with the intensity of her anger. Meta Knight ignored the fear that he once had, thinking of Fumu trapped and slowly dying in the sphere of glass.

_I never wanted this_

"What?" Meta Knight allowed himself to briefly glance about, for her swore he heard a voice filled with pain, regret, and sorrow speak those words. A loud shriek brought him back to reality as Cynder reared her head back to breathe fire again. He clasped his wings together and ascended powerfully as she released the blast. In retaliation, Galaxia glowed and he slashed it in a downward arc to create a Sword Beam. Cynder growled, and rolled to the side, causing poor Kirby to nearly fall as he continued his way up her back.

"Why you-!" Cynder attempted to reach the pink puffball with her jaws, but she couldn't reach the space on her back while flying, the very space Kirby clung to for dear life.

"Poyo poyo!!!" he cried out, determined to hang on. Meta Knight's eyes flashed orange as he realized what Kirby wanted. He used his free hand to free a spare sword he had strapped to his belt for emergencies.

"Kirby! Inhale this!" he tossed the sword towards the pair, high above Cynder's head. Kirby opened his mouth and in went the tossed sword. Cynder bit and snapped, her fangs barely out of reach of his feet. Taking his chance, Meta Knight rushed forward and swung his sword in an attempt to take off her head. She whipped her head around just in time to parry Galaxia with her own teeth, biting hard down on the golden metal. The sword flashed briefly once then released a power surge of energy through her body, causing her to scream in pain once again and forcing her to let go of the sword. Cynder dropped several feet, body sparking golden as she recovered from the unexpected attack. Kirby, who was now transformed into Sword Kirby, was doing his best to slash open her black hide with little success.

'_Interesting…it seems like Galaxia is the only thing that can truly harm her…_' Meta Knight looked at his sword, which was still stained with Cynder's blood.

_Please, save me from this curse_

That voice! He heard it again! But where was it coming from?? Meta Knight looked around yet again, but only saw Cynder making a U-turn far off and Fumu collapsed inside the glass orb, completely passed out. She was still alive, but Meta Knight felt her frail life force only becoming weaker by the minuet.

_You are my only hope of salvation_

Then he saw something unusual: Cynder's wing beats slowed slightly as her red eyes dimmed to cool sea-green. But then the spiked collar adorning her neck pulsed once, and her eyes flared back to glowing red.

"What the…!" Meta Knight had no time to muse this discovery as Cynder flew fast, jaws agape. He dove, twisting as she flew past to slash open her exposed underbelly. Once more she screamed as the sword sliced into her normally impenetrable flesh like a hot knife through butter. Now she was panting slightly as her blood loss was starting to become a problem. The wounds caused by Galaxia burned like nothing she ever felt before in her long life and she briefly wondered if she finally met her match in the warrior called Meta Knight.

"No…" she growled, landing on the platform, "I…am INVINCIBLE!!!" she reared up and roared even more loudly then she did before, her aura flaring up in the form of fire and flames. Kirby was finally blasted off her back and fell, smoking and unconscious, near Fumu's prison. Meta Knight also landed, albeit the opposite side of the crystal platform, his mask stained with Cynder's blood and his cape slightly singed from her flames.

"Today is the day you die, Cynder!" He called out, pointing Galaxia at her. The demon hissed, eyeing the sword wearily, "You're becoming far too overconfident, fool…" she hissed, getting into a fighting stance. Meta Knight gripped his weapon with two hands now, staring her down.

"I swear upon my sword of gold, that I will defeat you and avenge the deaths of every single soldier you murdered, as well as freeing Pop Star of your curse!"

Both adversaries charged, leaping high to meet the other. Cynder parried Galaxia using her white talons, causing sparks to fly into the air. Cynder and Meta Knight landed on opposite sides of the platform, then turned and charged again.

"Hyaa!!!" Meta Knight attacked rapidly at mach speeds, forcing Cynder to use all her skill to block his every stab and slash. He was exhausted, limbs burning with the effort to keep up the assault, but the knowledge that all of Pop Star and possibly the universe was depending on him kept him going despite his weariness. During a break in his attacks, Cynder struck like a snake, aiming for his wrist. He cried out as Galaxia was jolted out of his grip and tossed away, mere inches from the edge of the platform. She reared back and struck again, barely missing as he leapt back. He attempted to sprint to his sword, but she leaped in front of him, wings upraised to block any chance of getting past.

"Now you are mine!" She lashed out with her claws, striking Meta Knight square across his face with enough force for his mask to fly off. He tumbled to the edge of the platform, barely hanging on as his feet dangled freely into open air, while his mask skittered near the edge close to Galaxia. Cynder leaped, roaring in triumph with fangs bared. But mid-leap, a large red and rainbow blur struck her from the side, turning her mighty roar into a squeal of surprise and fly off the platform.

"Dynablade?!" Meta Knight climbed back up on the platform, gazing at the legendary bird saved his life. She glanced at him, then Kirby and Fumu, then took off, diving off the platform to pursue the black dragon. Knowing he didn't have much time, Meta Knight sprinted towards Galaxia and his mask, putting the latter back on with a sigh of relief: if he shuttered to think of the state his face would be in if he hadn't been wearing it in the first place. He then went to Kirby's side, and flipped the pink puffball on his back. Kirby had numerous burns covering his body, but he didn't seem to be too severely injured. But it was Fumu he had to worry about. Meta Knight gazed inside the sphere, noting with panic how her face was pale and breathing shallow. He cursed: her time was running out and Cynder was still breathing.

A shriek followed by a roar jerked him back to his senses and he turned just in time to see Dynablade and Cynder fighting just 40 feet above his head. Both were clawing and biting at the other, not caring if they were tumbling towards the platform at a dangerous speed. They separated a second later, both bearing bloody wounds from the other. The two masters of the sky rose yet again, circling in the air similar to fighting wolves on the ground. Dynablade and Cynder rushed towards each other at the same time, talons from both striking each other that made sparks fly into the air.

_Please…save me from my slavery…kill me so that I don't have to cause others pain no longer…_

"That voice! Where is it coming from!?" Meta Knight cursed out loud, once again questioning his sanity. First he comes here to fight the very one that was the cause of his pain and fears, and then he starts hearing voices pleading for his help. Dimly he heard Cynder cry out as Dynablade managed to slash her torso with her own talons, but he ignored it as he struggled to piece together this mystery. Then, there was conundrum behind Cynder's brief eye color change, for Meta Knight knew that he saw sea-green eyes that briefly flickered to life before being forced back to glowing red. Could it be that _Cynder_ was the source of the voice?

_I don't want to do this anymore; I'm sick and tired of being feared and hated…please, kill me Meta Knight! Save me from this fate!_

Meta Knight jumped and looked up, his own eyes once again meeting the gentle blue-green that graced Cynder's features once before. He saw nothing but pain, agony, sorrow, and suffering in their depths, eyes that matched his own at his worst. The change was instantaneous, and only a few seconds before they flashed back to red. Dynablade, seeing the brief gap in her defenses, charged recklessly, only for Cynder to whip around and breathe a powerful blast of fire. Dynablade shrieked and dropped, body charred and singed from such a close ranged attack. The bird of legend retreated, flying low before crashing to the ground, causing it to shake yet again. Cynder roared in triumph, collar glowing briefly. '_That collar…it reeks of evil itself…_' Meta Knight's eyes narrowed as he readied Galaxia once again. Cynder, distracted with her victory over Dynablade, was hovering in place watching the wounded bird of legend attempting to get up. Too late she sensed movement beneath her: Meta Knight had spread his wings and leaped skyward once more, Galaxia glowing bright with power. Cynder attempted to dodge, but was too late as Meta Knight stabbed upward, point of his blade coming into contact with the collar.

Cynder screamed even louder than ever before as the sword caused the collar to crack. Bolts of red lightning, similar to when Meta Knight stabbed the crack in the barrier, sparked from it. He grit his teeth and kept pushing, even as the foul electricity flowed through him and Cynder both, causing extreme pain. Then with a bright flash of light, the collar crumbled away, turning to sparkles as it did so.

Time seemed to stand still as Cynder slowly fell towards the platform. She landed hard on her back, cracking the crystal in the process. Yet the black dragon lay motionless despite the jarring impact.

Meta Knight landed nearby, sighing as he folded his sore wings against his back. It was over: he had won, and in doing so, avenged his fallen comrades and saved the universe from a foul evil. He glanced over at Kirby, who was now stirring and attempting to sit up. Fumu's glass prison shattered into pieces, yet she still was unconscious. The black clouds and mist that had fallen over the world was dissipating as a gentle breeze whisked it away. The sun broke through, shining its light once again. Meta Knight couldn't help but smile underneath the mask as Kirby leaped to his feet. He looked at Cynder's prone body and back at Meta Knight, who chuckled lightly.

"It's over Kirby, we won…"

Kirby's once unsure expression now turned to one of radiant joy, "Poyo poyo!"

Now Fumu stirred, eyes fluttering open as her sickness faded away, "Sire Meta Knight…?" her voice came out as a hoarse whisper" What happened?" She sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her head. Meta Knight extended a hand to help her to her feet. She accepted, blushing slightly, grateful for his assistance.

"Is that…her?"

He nodded once, "Yes…that is Cynder."

Kirby cautiously made his way over to the dragoness's body, but then squealed in surprise and ran back behind Meta Knight and Fumu as she started to glow bright white and shrink in size. All three watched in shock as Cynder stopped glowing and shrinking, revealing a much smaller black dragon about 6 feet long.

"She was under Nightmare's direct control it seems," Meta Knight said out loud, "Its safe to presume that she is no longer intending us harm."

"How do you know for sure?" Fumu asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion, "It could be a trap."

Meta Knight then started to walk towards Cynder, limping slightly as his adrenaline started to wear off. Fumu was reluctant to follow, as was Kirby, but she took his hand and followed at a close distance despite her fear. The older Star Warrior looked down at the prone form of his defeated enemy, and sighed.

"I said that today would be the day you died, Cynder…" he shifted Galaxia to a better grip. The dragon did not move or stir in the slightest.

"You said she was under Nightmare's control right? What if she's still dangerous?" Fumu asked as Meta Knight sheathed his sword, looking troubled as he remembered her pleas of help and begging for death by his hand. He bent down, and slung the unconscious Cynder over his shoulder.

"She still is…after all, dragons are powerful creatures. But I'll be the judge of whether she deserves to live or die once she wakes and tells us what she has to say…"

Fumu glanced at Kirby, who did not seem troubled or concerned in the least. She sighed, hoping with all her heart that Meta Knight wasn't making a fatal mistake.


End file.
